PHR Study or SPHR Study Guide- 10 Commandments for Examinees

It’s almost end of March and everybody is looking forward to spending their holidays (Holy Week) with their family.  As I am thinking on what to write about for my next blog post, I came up with the list (commandments) that is so timely and related to the SPHR or PHR study guide and exam preparation.

Reality check! To-do list or the absence thereof can sometimes save or ruin our day. Why? There’s a tendency for us to ignore or forget small things. It’s not that we’re stubborn or hard headed. We have our way of doing things. It’s our own habit and comfort. Getting out of the comfort zone is very uncomfortable until it becomes a habit. I remember Stephen Covey, his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (now there’s 8^th—Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs, and maybe 9^th is coming).

In his Habit 2-Begin with the End in Mind, he admonished his readers to have a dream, define their own vision and get into the practice of setting goals which will allow them to make measurable progress toward their dream. And in order for them to be reminded of their SMART goals,it should be written and placed somewhere that can be seen on a daily basis.

If passing the PHR or SPHR exam is your goal and ultimate dream, there’s nothing to lose in following Covey’s 2^nd Habit. Who knows, it might make wonders in your review preparation. Copy and paste below list and put it somewhere —that you can see everyday:

1. Thou shall not take the Professional Human Resources Certification Exam unprepared.
2. Thou shall not procrastinate in your review preparation.
3. Thou shall not stick to a single review materials.
4. Thou shall not forget to network with Human Resources professionals and previous examinees.
5. Thou shall not ignore PHR SPHR forums.
6. Thou shall not drink caffeine and review a day before your exam.
7. Thou shall not forget to bring your identification card and authorization to take test.
8. Thou shall not leave your confidence at home.
9. Thou shall not follow your pickle- minded mind.
10. Thou shall not let your mind wander and drift.

And above all, have faith in yourself, in what you can do, and that you are capable of clearing the PHR or SPHR certification exam.